Vehicle wheel



Sept.'11, 1923.

F. L. MINNICK VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Sent. 28, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11, 1923.

F. L. MINNICK VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Sept. 28. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 WW7, MW

Sept. 11, 1923.

1,467.446 F. L. MINNICK I VEHICLE WHEEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 28. 1921 in M Patented sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT. oFFicE.

FREDERICK'L. MINNIcK, or SPOKANE, WASHINGT01\T, 1SSIGNOB To TU ULAR STEEL AUTOMOBILE WHEEL MANUFACTURING. COMPANY, or SPOKA E, WASHINGTON,

A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, F REDERIOK L. MIN- NIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of l Vashington; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Wheels, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to an improved wheel for motor vehicles and has as one of its principal objects to provide a wheel the parts of which maybe pressed from'sheet metal. I I

A further object of theinvention is to provide a wheel embodying 'a demountable rim and wherein novel means will be provided for locking the rim' upon the wheel.

And the inventionhas as a still further object to-provide a wheel which will be of rigid and durablej construction and which will be adapted'for general use upon motor vehicles.

Other and incidental Objects will appear hereinafter. I a

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation ofmy improved wheel, 7

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the" direction of the arrows. i

Figure 3 is a detail Sectional'view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direc tion of the arrows,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective particularly showing one of the wedge blocks carcied by the wheel rim,

Figure 61s a fragmentary circumferential section through the felly and rim of the wheel, I

Figure 7 .is'a'detail section on the line 7-,? of Figure 6,

Figure 8, isa detail perspective view showing one of the locking pins employed for the rim,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section showing a slightly modified form of hub, and

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view showing the split hub ring employed in the modified construction. 1 I

In carrying the invention into eflect, I employ a hub which is formed of mating VEHICLE WHEEL. 1 1

Application filed September 28, 1921. Serial No. 503,753."

sections-10 and ll respectively, the Section 10 seating at its inner end in theinner end i of the section 11. Extending from the sec.- tion 10 is a flat radial hub plate 12 provided at its periphery with an inwardly directed annular flange 13. The section 11 is also provided with a radial hub plate 14 which is offset inwardly toward'the plate 12 and is provided at its periphery with an annular flange 15 matin with the flange 13 of the plate 12, these anges abutting at-th'eir free edges. Formed in said flanges .are matin notcheswhich define openings through which are fitted tubular. spokes 16, restin at .their inner ends against the hu section .10 confinedbetweenthe plate12 and the inner-end OflillQ'l'lllb-SBClJlOH 11 and extending through both of-the hub sections is a tapered boxing17. This boxing is pro vided atone end With a flange 18 countersunk'in the outer end of the hub sectionlO and threaded upon the boxing at its oppo site end is a nut 19 coacting with the hub section 11. Aswill be perceived, this nut may be adjusted for rigidly securing the hub sections together andtightly' binding the spokes l6 betweenthe flanges 13 and 15 of the hub plates of said sections.

Secured to the spokes 16 at their outer ends is 'a'channel shaped felly 20 from the bot tom wall of which is pressed,as particularly shown in Fi 'ure 6, a series of circumferentially ,space inclined seats 21 at each of which the outer side wall of the'felly 1s formed with a tapered notch 22. Removably surrounding the felly is a rim 23 which maybe either of thestraig'ht side type; or clincher type for accommodating a tlre.

Pressedfrom' the bot-tom wall of the rim is,

as also particularly shown in Figure 6, a series of wedge members 24.- which are formed tocoact with the seats 21 of the felly and 'lying'within the rim isapreferably metalhe liner. 25 coveringthe wedge members so as to'present a smooth surface to the tire. The wedge members are,tof course, adapted to pass-"freely through the notches 22 when brought. intoregister therewith so that the rim may be readily assembled-upon the folly and arranged .behind each of sa1d wedge members is a locking pin 26. As particularly shown in' Figures 7 and 8, these looking'ipins are tapered longitudinally and are provided at their outer ends with 'substam tially triangular'shaped heads 27 fitting'in the notches '22 while the inner ends of said pins are freely received through suitable openingsinthe inner side wall of the telly. Threaded upon said pins are nuts 28. .Thus, after'the rim has been initially arranged in position to surround the felly, the locking pins 26 are mounted in place when, by tightening the nuts 28 of said pins, the pins will be moved endwise torcoact withthe larger ends of the wedge members for rotating the rim upon the" telly" and consequently shifting the wedge membersiinto binding engagement with the inclined seats 21. At the same time, the heads 27' 'of'said'pins will be shiit ed to'seat. against the outer side faces of the wedge members so that said members will be clamped between said heads and-the inner side wall of the telly; Consequently, as'will "beseen, the rimwillbe-securely and rigidly looked upon" theielly. Journaled through the sidewalls of thefelly at any suitable wpoint therealongris-"a' cross shaft 29 and mounted on said;sha-ft:is a cam 30 freely re- 'e'eived' between: said 'side walls. removablyfits-through the cam so that the The shaft parts "may-be assembled upon the felly and driven through thecam to c'oact with the shaft is a locking; pin 31 securing the cam -upon-theishaft. Appropriately secured to the bottom wall of therim, at its inner side,

*are'spacedangle places 32 disposed to receive 'thecam therebetween and as will now be observed upon reference to Figure 1, the shaft'is squared at its outer end so that said shaft may be turned for rotating the cam. When the cam is rotated in-a clockwise directionpsaid cam will coact with one of the angle-plates forshifting the rim in a direction circumferentially of the felly and thus causing the Wedgemembers 24 to bind against the seats 21 while when the' cam is rotated in an opposite'direction, said cam "will coact with'the other of the angle plates for shifting thewedgemembers awayirom Aswill be seen, the cam 'pro- 'vides a means additional tothe locking pin said seats.

26 for wedgingthe rim upon the telly.

'The wheel of' the presentyinvention is particularly designed -to be used interchangeably with the ordinary wheels of-a motor vehicle and in Figure 2 of the draw- 'ings, 'I have shown .my improved wheel in connectionwith an ordinary wheel hub 33 whichis'provided' near its inner end-:with the usual hub plate '34.. As 'will:be observed,'theboxing"l7 is-formed to fitover the hub 33. Consequently.,-after the original :wheel 'hasbeen removed iromthe hub, my improved wheel may be readily fitted over the hubto abut'the hub plate 34. An

"outer hub plate '35 is' p-rovided, this'hub.

plate being secured against the outer end of the hub by-the-nut "19, ande-xtending 12 and 114:, I as well. as through the hub; plate 34:, are bolts-36 rigidly connecting the -wheel with the hub 33. Thus, my improved wheel may. be vreadilysubstituted. for an vordinary wheel.

In Figures 'tlandl. 10 (of thejdrawings, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of hub. In this modification, I employ mating hub plates 37 and 38 respectively,

which, are provided-with peripheral abutis a boxing 43* whichazserves toliexp'and 'l'the.

tube v for shiftingtheZSpOk'QSif radially -wso that the spokes will tightly coact with1awheel. felly wwhilei the -tube is' coineidently caused to tightly coa'ct at its" ends with the hub p'lates 37 and 38"for1connecting the plates to clamp the spok'es .therebetween.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew: is

1; In" a vehicle whe'el, a'iifelly inclined seats, a rim surrounding the fe'lly and provided with wedge*members' enacting with said seats, one side wall' of the felly-' be in formed with notches' to acconnnod'ate said members whereby the rim' may be -remove'd laterally from around .thefelly; and tapered locking pins carried by the felly '-'tocoact with said members for riding the members into binding engagement with the seats,

said pins being providedf-with*heads fitting in said notches tocoact with -the members for securing the rim against lateral movement. Y

2. A vehicle wheel including:aiellyhaving side walls and provided wi 'th inclined seats, arim 'surroundingthe telly and provided with wedge memb'e'i's to"coact with said seats, a plate carried by -the"rim*and a cam journaled upon said side walls of' the felly tocoact withsaid plate'for rotating the rim and shifting said members into binding engagement with said seats.

'3. In a vehicle'wheel, a'*channel"'shaped felly having a series of inclined seats a rim surrounding the" fellyz and 'ha'vin'g a series of wedge members pressed fromthe bottom wall thereof and 'fitting between-the side walls of the telly to enact withsaid seats braced a'gai'nst lateral movement in oppositedirections by the si'de 'wal'lsp'fi-tli'e inclined seats, a TIlIIl surrounding the "telly and provided with wed'ge memberscoating with said seats, "one side wall of the Telly through' said rplate,-"through'the-hub plates'being provided '-'at spaced points with pressed 'from' thebottom wall thereof, "and wall, the bottom walk-thereof providdiirith notches to receive said members therethrough, and means lying in the notches limiting the wedge members against lateral displacement.

5. In a vehicle wheel, a channel shaped felly having annular side walls and a bottom Wall the bottom wall thereof provided with inclined seats, a rim surrounding the felly and provided with wedge members coacting with said seats, one side wall of the felly being provided at spaced points with notches to receive said members therethrough, and means lying in said notches to coact with said wedge members and adjustable upon the felly for shifting the rim laterally and binding the wedge members against the opposite side wall of the felly.

6. In a vehicle Wheel, a channel shaped felly having the bottom wall thereof provided with inclined seats, a rim surrounding the felly and provided with wedge members coacting with said seats, one side wall of the telly being notched to'receive said members therethrough, and pins engaged with the opposite side wall of the felly and provided with heads lying in said notches to 00- act with said wedge members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FREDERICK L. MINNIOK. 1,. 5. 

